Deputy Speaker of Maharashtra Assembly on Friday approved Shiv Sena's proposal to appoint MLA Ajay Chaudhary as party's legislative party leader in the state Assembly.
A letter in this regard was sent to the Shiv Sena office secretary by the Deputy speaker's office.
MLA Ajay Chaudhary replaced rebel MLA Eknath Shinde, expediting the need for the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition to prove its majority through a floor test.
Shiv Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde along with 38 party MLAs and nine independent MLAs are campaigning at Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati from June 22.
These developments came to the fore after a severe political crisis in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra erupted after the party legislators joined a rebellion led by Eknath Shinde who is staying at a hotel in Guwahati.
Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat claimed that both Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were trying to eliminate Shiv Sena politically from Maharashtra and the MLAs made countless attempts to inform Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray about the malafide intentions of alliance partners.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut even urged rebel MLAs to return to Mumbai and discuss their issues with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Raut also claimed that the Shiv Sena is ready to "consider exiting out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) if this is the will of all the MLAs" but with a condition that the rebel MLAs will have to convey the message directly to CM Uddhav Thackeray and discuss the issues with him.
Recently, Raut on Friday alleged that Union Minister was threatening Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should pay attention to it as it is a "matter of concern".
Meanwhile, Raut warned Ekanth Shinde-led rebel MLAs and said that if needed 'Shiv Sena workers will come on the roads.
"Eknath Shinde faction that's challenging us must realize that Shiv Sena workers are yet to come on the roads. Such battles are fought either through law or on the roads. If need be then our workers would come on the roads," said Shiv Sena leader.
He further said that the process underway to disqualify 12 MLAs (of the Eknath Shinde faction), their numbers are only on the papers.
Eknath Shinde is appearing to be holding a tight grip on the Shiv Sena, as the strength of MLAs supporting him is expected to cross 50 as more legislators are likely to reach Guwahati on Friday thus further deepening the political crisis in Maharashtra.
The situation for Thackeray continues to become grimmer with his close aide switching sides and the chief minister himself falling short of numbers.
It seems that the legacy of Bal Thackeray, who founded Shiv Sena, has slipped from the hands of Uddhav Thackeray with the rebellion of Eknath Shinde as he claims of being a true Shivsainik, the battle of who holds the true legacy of Balasaheb has started.
( With inputs from ANI )
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor